On Andrew Marr’s programme on 16th October, Priti Patel said that having Brexit debated by Parliament would be like playing poker and showing your hand (to the other people at the table), so that’s why it shouldn’t happen.

She also said that MPs would not be denied a say in the Brexit process. This seems to mean that after, to use Lord Pannick’s term, “the bullet has been fired” (Article 50 has been triggered), Parliament will be permitted to inspect and comment on the corpse.

No-one is now suggesting that Article 50 is reversible.

But how can anyone believe that the UK’s “hand” is a big secret? The idea that there are any wild cards or jokers left unplayed is ludicrous (that was intended to be mildly amusing). “You want to retain access to the single market, and if we disagree you’re going to grizzle? Hey, we didn’t expect that!”…